US2003197388A1PendingUtilityA1

Robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function

33
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MFGPriority: Apr 22, 2002Filed: Feb 27, 2003Published: Oct 23, 2003
Est. expiryApr 22, 2022(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Shih-Chang ShihJaw-Lih Shih
H10P 72/3402H10P 72/0606H10P 72/0616B25J 9/1676B25J 19/06
33
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

A robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function is disclosed. A touch control method is used in the robot arm to detect the abnormal situation of scratching a wafer, thereby promptly stopping the motion of robot arm from continuously accessing the wafer, so as to prevent a large amount of wafers from scrapping. The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function has an electrically conductive layer and an electrically non-conductive layer, wherein the non-conductive layer is located on one surface of the robot arm contacting a target wafer to be accessed, and the conductive layer is on the other surface opposite to the non-conductive layer. The conductive layer is connected to a circuit to generate a stopping signal for stopping the robot arm from continuously accessing the wafer.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function, comprising: 
 a non-conductive layer, located on one surface of said robot arm, wherein said one surface is used for contacting a target wafer;    a conductive layer, located on the other surface of said robot arm, wherein said one surface and said other surface are located on both sides of said robot arm; and    a circuit, wherein said conductive layer is connected to said circuit with at least one conductive wire, so that when said conductive layer contacts a non-target wafer, at least one charge is generated and passed to said circuit.    
     
     
         2 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 1 , wherein said robot arm and said conductive layer are made of an electrically conductive material, and said non-conductive layer is made of an electrically non-conductive material.  
     
     
         3 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 2 , wherein said electrically non-conductive material is ceramic material.  
     
     
         4 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 2 , wherein said electrically conductive material is metal.  
     
     
         5 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 1 , wherein said robot arm and said non-conductive layer are made of an electrically non-conductive material, and said conductive layer is made of an electrically conductive material.  
     
     
         6 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 5 , wherein said electrically non-conductive material is ceramic material.  
     
     
         7 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 5 , wherein said electrically conductive material is metal.  
     
     
         8 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 1 , wherein said non-conductive layer covers said one surface entirely.  
     
     
         9 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 1 , wherein said conductive layer covers said other surface entirely.  
     
     
         10 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 1 , wherein said circuit is a touch switch circuit.  
     
     
         11 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 1 , wherein a stop signal is generated to stop the motion of said robot arm, after said circuit receives said at least one charge.  
     
     
         12 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 1 , wherein a warning signal is generated to drive an alarm device, after said circuit receives said at least one charge.  
     
     
         13 . A robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function, comprising: 
 a non-conductive layer, located on one surface of said robot arm, wherein said one surface is used for contacting a target wafer;    a conductive layer, located on the other surface of said robot arm, wherein said one surface and said other surface are located on both sides of said robot arm; and    a touch switch circuit, wherein said conductive layer is connected to said touch switch circuit with at least one conductive wire, so that when said conductive layer contacts a non-target wafer, at least one charge is generated and passed to said touch switch circuit, and a stop signal is generated to stop the motion of said robot arm, after said touch switch circuit receives said at least one charge.    
     
     
         14 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 13 , wherein said electrically non-conductive material is ceramic material.  
     
     
         15 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 13 , wherein said electrically conductive material is metal.  
     
     
         16 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 13 , wherein said non-conductive layer covers said one surface entirely.  
     
     
         17 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 13 , wherein said conductive layer covers said other surface entirely.  
     
     
         18 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 13 , wherein a warning signal is generated to drive an alarm device, after said circuit receives said at least one charge.  
     
     
         19 . A robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function, comprising: 
 a non-conductive layer, located on one surface of said robot arm, wherein said one surface is used for contacting a target wafer, and said robot arm is made of an electrically conductive material; and    a circuit, wherein said robot arm is connected to said circuit with at least one conductive wire, so that when the other surface of said robot arm contacts a non-target wafer, at least one charge is generated and passed to said circuit.    
     
     
         20 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 19 , wherein said electrically conductive material is metal.  
     
     
         21 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 19 , wherein said electrically non-conductive material is ceramic material.  
     
     
         22 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 19 , wherein said circuit is a touch switch circuit.  
     
     
         23 . A robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function, comprising: 
 a conductive layer, located on one surface of said robot arm, wherein said robot arm is made of an electrically non-conductive material; and    a circuit, wherein said conductive layer is connected to said circuit with at least one conductive wire, so that when said conductive layer contacts a non-target wafer, at least one charge is generated and passed to said circuit.    
     
     
         24 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 23 , wherein said electrically conductive material is metal.  
     
     
         25 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 23 , wherein said electrically non-conductive material is ceramic material.  
     
     
         26 . The robot arm having wafer-scratching prevention function of  claim 23 , wherein said circuit is a touch switch circuit.

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US2003197388A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.